OSCE Academy MA Students with the OSCE Secretary General ...osce-academy.net/upload/file/OSCE_Academy_Annual_Report_2018.pdf · report, provided an ever more solid foundation for

OSCE Academy MA Students with the OSCE Secretary General Ambassador Thomas Greminger

CONTENTS

Introduction from the Chair of the Board of Trustees ..............................................................................2

Introduction from the Management of the OSCE Academy .....................................................................4

Administrative Highlights ...........................................................................................................................6

Finances ......................................................................................................................................................8

Graduate Education ....................................................................................................................................9

Faculty Developments .............................................................................................................................10

Preparatory Summer School ....................................................................................................................13

MA Programme in Politics and Security ..................................................................................................14

MA Programme in Economic Governance and Development .................................................................17

Professional Trainings ..............................................................................................................................20

Research, Dialogue & Publications ..........................................................................................................24

Conferences and Workshops ..................................................................................................................26

Central Asian Policy Briefs .......................................................................................................................29

Academy Yearbook ...................................................................................................................................29

Academy Paper Series .............................................................................................................................29

Library .......................................................................................................................................................30

Our Alumni ................................................................................................................................................31

Alumni Opportunities ...............................................................................................................................32

Alumni Activities .......................................................................................................................................39

Partnerships and Cooperation .................................................................................................................42

Notable Visitors and Public Talks .............................................................................................................43

Social Life ..................................................................................................................................................50

2

INTRODUCTION FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

It is my pleasure and honor to present to you the OSCE Academy’s 2018 Annual Report. Here you will find the fruits of our teams’ tireless efforts and of your precious support. The year 2018 has been one of great successes for the Academy; a year of recovery from the challenges of 2017, of consolidation, but also one of further devel-opment. It has, as I am certain you will gather from this report, provided an ever more solid foundation for the pursuit of the Academy’s endeavors and the realization of its – of your – ambitions.

Thanks to its students, alumni, professors, management and dedicated staff, the Academy has become a recog-nized institution within Kyrgyzstan and the Central Asian region, with the number of applications to its MA pro-grammes rising steadily over the past few years. In 2018, a record 2,114 candidates from all five Central Asian States, Afghanistan and Mongolia applied for a chance to receive high-quality free education at the Academy,

Ambassador Pierre von Arx

Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek

Dear Readers,

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018

3

demonstrating the attractiveness of the institution. In graduating a new batch of bright and motivated students in December 2018, the OSCE Academy has, thanks to the support of its donors, partners and of the OSCE community, once again expanded the pool of highly trained professionals that governments, international organizations, civil society and the private sector can draw from to design and implement innovative, efficient policies conducive to durable change in Central Asia. These young and talented minds will join the ranks of our alumni and doubtlessly add new inspiring success stories to the Academy’s proud accomplishments of the past 15 years.

I am confident that, just as those who have graduated before them, these students will continue to cultivate and cherish their ties with the Academy, taking part in alumni events, professional trainings, workshops and conferenc-es, or even joining research projects. In 2018, important steps have been taken to expand these activities and make the contributions of the Academy more accessible to a wide range of regional stakeholders and to the leaders of tomorrow. Among these initiatives, a new publication series, as well as a Yearbook for Policy Analysis, have been launched and distributed in the Russian language in order to reach a broader regional audience. This puts the Academy at the forefront of efforts to build Central Asian expertise and dialogue on issues of both traditional ‘hard’

security and, increasingly, ‘soft’ security—incorporating such crucial topics as environmental sustainability and gender into the academic and policy discourse. As such, the Academy and those who have the chance to receive education, training, engage in discussions or undertake research within this uniquely regional institution, carry high and proud the core values of the OSCE and its commitment to building truly comprehensive security in Central Asia.

I want to extend my warm thanks to you and to all our loyal partners in this exciting adventure. None of the year’s successes would have been possible without your unwavering support, generosity and confidence. We are particularly grateful to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Education and Sciences of the Kyrgyz Republic for their continued support, assistance, and commitment to creating a positive environment for the operation and development of the Academy. Perspectives for the coming year are bright, and I am proud to report that, in recognition of the valuable contribution of the Academy to regional knowledge-sharing and security, the OSCE participating States have unanimously decided to strengthen their support for the year 2019.

Looking forward to working with all of you towards the achievement of yet more milestones in this new year, I wish you a pleasant reading.

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Introduction from the Chair of the Board of Trustees

4

INTRODUCTION FROM THE MANAGEMENT OF THE OSCE ACADEMY

I am delighted to present to you the Annual Report of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek for the year 2018. In this period our institute continued to build up its reputation and to establish itself as a truly regional centre for academic excellence and policy dialogue. We hope you enjoy reading about the new partnerships we forged, our new students and professors, as well as about the many projects we engage into with a growing number of stakeholders.

2018 proved to be a year of many new achievements, not least the creation of full-time positions at the OSCE Academy, to support future research activities as well as strengthening the teaching capacities. With support from Switzerland and via the German Academic Exchange Service, three positions were established that will from now on help to develop the Academy to become a full-fledged graduate institute in Central Asia.

We are very excited about several new partnerships that the OSCE Academy concluded, which will help the institute to develop new research projects and to engage into the exchange of students and faculty. In particu-

Dr. Alexander WoltersDirector of the OSCE Academy in Bishkek

Dear Readers,


5

lar we have been preparing applications to Erasmus+ funded exchange activities with partners from Marburg University in Germany, from the Riga Graduate School of Law in Latvia, the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pisa, Italy, as well as with the University of Tartu in Estonia. Furthermore, the Academy resumed its relation with the Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution in Stadtschlaining, Austria, and, for the first time, sent a student for internship to the European Centre for Migra-tion Issues in Flensburg, Germany in Fall 2018.

In September 2018 the Academy invited 55 students from Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Russia to enroll in its two MA programmes and to study in the following 16 months such diverse subjects as Politics, Security Studies, Political Theory, Econometrics, Economic Governance, Development Studies, or Project Develop-ment. Later in the year, on 14 December, 47 students successfully graduated from the old class and received their diploma during a ceremony that was attended by colleagues, family, friends, and partners. The Acade-my’s alumni network grew to reach the number 474. In 2018 we have worked together with several of our graduates in various workshops, chapter meetings, as well as conferences and academic projects, often made possible by our main partner, the Norwegian Institute of Foreign Affairs (NUPI).

Furthermore, with support from NUPI, the Academy im-plemented a series of professional trainings throughout 2018, in particular in Political Analysis, and in Journalism (both together with the Institute for War and Peace Re-

porting), its Certificate trainings in Feasibility Studies and Regulatory Impact Analysis. Several smaller trainings and seminars on methods in the social sciences complement-ed this engagement while some of them produced further input into the publications series of the Academy. New among the latter had been the publication of the Academ-ic Yearbook and the Academy Papers, while Policy Briefs were published throughout the year in both English and Russian, thus allowing for higher visibility of the Academy in the region as an institute for policy dialogue.

The Academy and its many projects and activities have been made possible due to the generous contributions from Austria, Finland, Switzerland, and the United States, amounting to full coverage of related Extra-budgetary costs of the Academy in 2018. NUPI contributed via a three-year partnership programme that encompasses all activities at the Academy and had been sending faculty for teaching modules and receiving our students for internships. Finally, an increased contribution from the Unified Budget of the OSCE provided with the essential support to the Academy and its functioning as an or-ganization.

We are profoundly grateful for this support and we are excited about the many opportunities the Academy is set to seize. We look forward to further widen our network and to engage in joint projects of research, policy and academia with partners close by and far away!

For now we hope you will enjoy our Annual Report for 2018!

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Introduction from the Management of the OSCE Academy

6

ADMINISTRATIVE HIGHLIGHTS

Ambassador Pierre von Arx, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, Dr. Alexander Wolters, Director of the OSCE Academy, Ambassador Marcel Pesko, Director of the Conflict Prevention Centre, June 2018

In June and October 2018, the Board of Trustees of the OSCE Academy held its regular meetings. Both meetings served to inform the members of the Board about the successful implementation of the Academy’s programmes and to report on plans to introduce new activities. Special attention was paid to the creation of

full-time faculty positions as well as the organization of a new summer school preparatory programme that was organized with great success in August 2018. Fur-thermore, the development of the Academy’s budget received much attention, not least due to the hazardous situation the Academy had found itself only one year


7

earlier. The Board was satisfied to see the institute’s financial support base widening and new applications for funding from third parties being prepared and submitted. The Board underlined the need to work more towards creating funding sustainability for future years and to develop the Academy into a research-based graduate institute.

In Summer 2018 major constructions were taking place inside the Academy and outside in the yard. Following difficult times in January with the collapse of the local heating plant, the Academy’s management decided to renovate its electrical grid in order to be able to supply its technical equipment better. With support from the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek these works as well as the reconstruction of the yard to allow for a more

campus-like atmosphere were completed in August, in time for the start of the new Academic Year.

The Academy continued to build up its administrative capacity by introducing new regulations for various fields of operations thus improving the professionalism of the institute’s management and staff. Positions vacant during the year were filled towards the end enabling the Academy to run its operations smoothly and efficiently. This was further aided with staff trainings conducted in the second half of the year in order to enhance skills in 1C accounting software and in Business English. Last but not least, the Academy also resumed its traineeship programme and begun inviting young people to conduct six-months traineeships at different units inside the Academy.

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Administrative Highlights

8

Professional Trainings ........................................................................................................................................78,678

Masters Programmes ........................................................................................................................................546,914

Summer school ...................................................................................................................................................11,667

Alumni Support ...................................................................................................................................................34,909

Dialogue and Research ....................................................................................................................................... 56,695

General Support Costs .....................................................................................................................................496,698

Total �� 1,225,561

FINANCES

Expenditures by Area of Activities

Expenditures by Source of Funding

In line with continued efforts to increase the transparency and accountability of the Academy’s financial operations we are providing the following differentiated overview of our budget and expenses.

Unified Budget (OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek) .....................................................................................387,559

Finland (ExB) ...................................................................................................................................................... 66,380

USA (ExB) .........................................................................................................................................................121,454

Austria (ExB) ....................................................................................................................................................... 59,546

SWISS (ExB) .......................................................................................................................................................57,548

Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (third-party funding) 495,970

SWISS .................................................................................................................................................................35,180

CESS ......................................................................................................................................................................1,777

AUCA ........................................................................................................................................................................ 147

Total �� 1,225,561


9

GRADUATE EDUCATION

The year of 2018 provided stability for the work of both MA Programmes with the unlimited licenses issued for both programmes by the Ministry of Education of the Kyrgyz Republic in previous years and accreditations from the Agency for Quality Assurance in the field of Education (EdNet). The MA Programme in Politics and Security went through re-accreditation process in 2018 and received accreditation certificate valid till 09 June 2023 and the MA Programme in Economic Governance and Development received its re-accreditation certificate in 2017, valid until 12 July 2022.

In November the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic and EdNet awarded the OSCE Academy MA Programme in Economic Governance

and Development with two certificates in the following nominations:

• “Best Study Programme of 2018” • “Human Resource Management and Quality of Edu-

cation 2018”

The Awarding Ceremony was held within the framework of the conference “2 YEARS OF INDEPENDENT EDNET ACCREDITATION: best examples / best practices.” Certif-icates were awarded by the Deputy Minister of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic – Kozhobekov, Ku-daiberdi Gaparalievich - and received by the Programme Manager of the MA in Economic Governance and Devel-opment Programme, Cholpon Osmonalieva.

Licenses, Accreditation and Awards

10

FACULTY DEVELOPMENTS

One of the milestones of 2018 became the establishment of the permanent faculty positions. In July Dr. Emil Dzhuraev and Dr. Nazgul Jenish joined the Academy team as Senior Lecturers. Additionally, in September Dr. Anja Mihr joined the Academy Faculty team via the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as a Visiting Professor. In addition to teaching, core faculty members will take active part in development of the research component of the Academy as well as building-up new cooperation’s with other international institutions, including those through Erasmus+.

Dr. Anja Mihr joined OSCE Academy as a DAAD Visiting Professor in 2018. She teaches in the Politics and Security Programme. Dr. Mihr is founder and Program Director of the HUMBOLDT-VIADRINA Center on Governance through Human Rights in Berlin, Germany. She has held professor-

ships in human rights, international relations democrati-zation and Transitional Justice at the Willy-Brandt School of Public Policy, Erfurt University, Germany and at the Netherlands Institute of Human Rights (SIM), University of Utrecht, Netherlands.

Dr. Mihr has served as Head of the Rule of Law department at The Hague Institute for Global Justice as well as several of Visiting Professorships for Human Rights such as at Peking University Law School in China together with the Raoul Wallenberg Research Institute on Human Rights, Lund University in 2008. In 2006-2008, she was European Program Director for the European Master Degree in Hu-man Rights and Democratization (E.MA) at the European Inter-University Center for Human Rights in Venice (EIUC), Italy. She received her PhD in Political Sciences from the Free University in Berlin, Germany, in 2001.

DAAD funds this position for the period for up to five years.


11

Dr. Emil Dzhuraev holds a PhD in Government and Pol-itics from the University of Maryland, College Park. He has been affiliated with the OSCE Academy since 2005, and has been teaching courses in comparative politics, Central Asian regional politics, international politics and security, political theory and research design. He has also taught at the American University of Central Asia, University of Maryland and other institutions.

Dr. Dzhuraev’s research interests include state-building, constitutional politics and rule of law, Central Asian political development, and foreign policy and security of Central Asian states. Beyond his academic work he regularly engages in consultancy and policy research with Kyrgyzstan and international institutions. He is a frequent political commentator on regional affairs in various media outlets.

Dr. Nazgul Jenish holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Maryland, College Park. She was a professor of economics at New York University, where she taught graduate and undergraduate courses and conducted research in econometrics, game theory, and statistics. Her research interests focus on mathematical modeling of socio-economic phenomena, statistical learning, and development economics.

Dr. Jenish publishes in top world peer-reviewed eco-nomics and statistics journals, and delivered guest lectures at Yale, Princeton, Columbia, Cambridge, and Duke Universities. She also has extensive experience in governance and economic policy analysis through her work and consultancy with international organizations, including UN agencies and the World Bank. She served as program manager at the United Nations Development Programme in New York.

These positions have been made possible with funding from Switzerland for the period until end of March 2021.

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Faculty Developments

12


13

PREPARATORY SUMMER SCHOOL

In mid-August we launched a three-week pilot preparato-ry Summer School Programme for students from Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Mongolia. In addition to newly accepted Master students to the Politics & Security and Economic Governance & Development Programmes, the School was also attended by interested young graduates in related disciplines. They were selected via a special call that generated more than 450 applications. Overall the summer school hosted 80 participants.

Choosing between two broad fields of academic inquiry, participants were set to benefit from in-depth knowledge about social research skills or to learn about complex calculus and statistical models, gaining preparation for

any future endeavor in the mentioned disciplines. In addition, all participants underwent training in academic writing (in English) thus developing a necessary skill-set to enter into one of the Academy’s programmes or any other international graduate course.

In particular this Summer School was designed to equip participants with the knowledge and skills on the Math-ematics for Economists, the Probability and Statistics, the Academic Writing and the Introduction to Research Methods in Social Sciences. The courses were organized and conducted by Academy faculty and specially invited guest lecturers.

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Preparatory Summer School

14

Since 2004 the interest and demand towards the MA Programme in Politics and Security is growing, inciting further development of the programme’s content. In addition to already well-established courses in international relations, political science, conflict prevention, security, and international development new modules on Cybersecurity and Art of Monitoring were introduced. Programme curricular composition allows to graduate young professionals that are highly-demanded in the job market of the region and beyond, filling the positions in the public sector, international organizations, civil society and research institutions.

MA PROGRAMME IN POLITICS AND SECURITY


15

Graduated students in 2018

Students have graduated from the programme:

Gender balance

33% 67%

7 55

32 1 1

024Enrolled Students by Country

Student Internships

17%

10%

17%

13%

17%

3%23%

Admission statistics for the academic year of 2018-2019

954Applications

in total for the September intake

459From five Central Asian countries (KZ, KG, UZB,

TURK, TJ)

454Applications from

Afghanistan

8Applications

from Mongolia

33From other OSCE

participating States

30Number of

students admitted to the programme

47% 53%

KyrgyzstanKazakhstanTajikistanUzbekistanTurkmenistanAfghanistanRussia

OSCE Programme Offices in CA 4OSCE Secreteriat 2OSCE HCNM 1NUPI 2GCSP 2

Aleksanteri Institute 1ECMI 1ASPR 1Other 8

Gender balance out of 30 enrolled

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018MA Programme in Politics and Security

16

FacultyThe programme maintained most of its core and visiting faculty, including

Dr� Emilbek Dzhuraev, OSCE Academy, KyrgyzstanDr� Anja Mihr, OSCE Academy, DAAD Visiting Professor, GermanyDr� Payam Foroughi, OSCE Academy, USADr� Lance Tillman, European School of Central Asia (ESCA), USADr� Farhad Kerimov, American University of Central Asia (AUCA), TurkmenistanDr� Pal Dunay, George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, HungaryMr� Dieter von Blarer, Von Blarer Consulting, SwitzerlandDr� Indra Overland, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), NorwayDr� Helge Blakkisrud, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), NorwayMr� Augustin Nicolescou, Institute for Integrative Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding, Austria

Mr� Jonathon Hornbrook, German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), UKAdditionally, the programme has been successful in recruiting new visiting faculty members for courses and modules scheduled for the winter and spring 2018 semesters.Ms� Rakiia Abdurasulova, German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), KyrgyzstanMr� Rashid Gabdulkhakov, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Netherlands, UzbekistanMr� Alfredo Hernandez Sanchez, American University of Central Asia (AUCA), MexicoDr� Christian Bleuer, OSCE Academy in Bishkek, CanadaDr� Egemen Bezci, Stockholm University, TurkeyDr� Tove Hansen Malloy, European Center for Minority Issues (ECMI), GermanyDr� Clara Portela, University of Valencia, Spain

CurriculumIn the 2017 - 2018 academic year, the curriculum offered 10 full term and 12 modular courses in total.

Winter Semester:Full-term courses:• Contemporary Security Issues• Central Asian Politics and

Security• Political Economy• Research Methods• MA Thesis Seminar• Current Affairs Lectures

Modules:• Conflict Management• Political Islam

Spring Semester:Full –term course:• MA Thesis Seminar

Modules:• Energy Politics• European Politics• Central Asia and the USA• Sustainable Development• Nation, State and Nationalism• Central Asia and Russia• International Cyber Security• Art of Monitoring

Fall Semester:Full-term courses:• International Relations• Political Theory• Academic Writing • Current Affairs Lectures• Political Institutions and

Processes• MA Thesis Seminar

Modules:• The OSCE• Human Rights and

International Law


17

The MA Programme in Economic Governance and Development was recognized as the Best Education Programme of 2018 by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic and the Agency for Quality Assurance in the field of Education (EdNet) (p. 9). This intensive interdisciplinary programme fulfills its aim of providing the intellectual and practical preparation of young leaders of Central Asia for active professional life.

MA PROGRAMME IN ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE AND DEVELOPMENT

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018MA Programme in Economic Governance and Development

18

Graduated students in 2018

Students have graduated from the programme:

Gender balance

52% 48%

10 55

21

023Enrolled Students by Country

Student Internships

16%

24%

36%

20%

4%

Admission statistics for the academic year of 2018-2019

717

Number of students

admitted to the programme

10

From other OSCE participating

States

1160Applications

in total for the September intake

410From five Central Asian countries (KZ, KG, UZB,

TURK, TJ)

25

Applications from Afghanistan

23

Applications from Mongolia

52% 48%

AfghanistanKazakhstanKyrgyzstanTajikistanUzbekistan

OSCE Programme Offices in CA 8OSCE Secreteriat 3NUPI 1Norwegian Helsinki Committee 1

ADB 1ASPR 1Other 10

Gender balance out of 25 enrolled students


19

FacultyIn addition to new permanent faculty member Dr� Nazgul Jenish, the programme maintained most of its core and visiting faculty, among them:

Dr� Nurgul Ukueva, America University of Central Asia (AUCA), KyrgyzstanDr� David Grant, European School in Central Asia (ESCA), UKDr� Ulanbek Akmatbaev, Columbia University, KyrgyzstanDr� Indra Overland, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), NorwayDr� Jo Lind, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), NorwayMr� Jonathon Hornbrook, German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), UKDr� Nurlan Atabaev, Kyrgyz National University, KyrgyzstanDr� Gordana Pesakovic, Argosy University, USA

Dr� Kai Wegerich, Water and Energy Policy Adviser, OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, GermanyDr� Farkhod Aminjonov, Narxoz University, UzbekistanDr� Roman Vakulchuk, Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI), NorwayDr� Lukasz Gruszczynski, Polish Academy of Sciences, PolandMr� Ernist Turdubaev, Far Eastern Federal University, RussiaMs� Diana Biba, World Bank, KyrgyzstanMr� Murod Khusanov, Office of the OSCE Programme Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, UzbekistanMr� Yuri Fenopetov, OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, AustriaMr� Nuraddin Murshudlu, OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, Azerbaijan

CurriculumIn the 2017 - 2018 academic year the curriculum offered 11 full term and 12 modular courses.

Winter Semester:Full-term courses:• Econometrics • Economic Law • Research Methods • Economic Governance and

Regulation

Modules:• Economy of Border Management

and Transport Routes• Economics and Sustainable

Management of Mineral Resources

• Industrial Policy

Spring Semester:Full –term course:• International Development• International Financial System

Modules:• Energy Politics• International Economic

Indices and Economy Rankings

• Economic Effects of Migration• Integrated Water Management• Regulation of Energy Sector

Fall Semester:Full-term courses:• Microeconomics • Macroeconomics • Statistics• Stata • Academic Writing

Modules:• The OSCE • Project Management • International and Regional

Trade Arrangements • Economics of Sustainable

Development

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018MA Programme in Economic Governance and Development

20

PROFESSIONAL TRAININGS

In 2018, the OSCE Academy in Bishkek succeeded in increasing the number and quality of the offered regional programmes. In cooperation with its partners, the Acade-my offered courses and events for state and non-govern-mental institutions, parliamentarians, and young scholars from Central Asia and and the wider OSCE area.

From 9 to 14 April, the OSCE Academy conducted its regular regional training on the Analysis of the Impact of Regulatory Legal Acts for junior and mid-level public officials from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. During one week, 22 participants gained familiarity with government regulations and the partici-pation of citizens in political decision-making, the basis for public policy analysis, as well as with opportunities and challenges when applying regulatory impact analy-

Participants of the regional training on the Analysis of the Impact of Regulatory Legal Acts are discussing their questions with the Trainer - Izmailov Kemal Osmanovich

Participants of the regional training Writing Feasibility Studies for Investment Projects

sis, and the experience of other countries. The training was conducted by Izmailov Kemal Osmanovich from the Institute of Public Analysis and Research, Kyrgyzstan.

From 23 to 27 April, the OSCE Academy conducted its regular regional training on Writing Feasibility Studies for Investment Projects in the context of state devel-opment policies (industrial development, export pro-motion, and infrastructure development) for 19 junior and mid-level staff from departments in institutes and ministries responsible for policy analysis and consult-ants of international organizations from different regions of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.

As part of the training the participants learned from trainer Evgeniy Kurinin (Kyrgyzstan) how to conduct the


21

Participants of the international training on Policy Paper Writing

complex analysis of projects. This included investment analysis, the legal analysis of credit conditions, as well as the analysis of potential risks in investment projects.

From 7 to 11 May a week-long international training on Policy Paper Writing took place at the OSCE Academy for the third year in a row. 12 participants from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Mongolia trained their skills in writing policy briefs on various regional topics. It is essential for the success in regional development to work with local experts and scholars who know the region and can offer policy recommendations and solutions. How-ever at times these are in need of additional experience and skills to present their ideas in the right format to selected audiences. The Policy Paper Writing Seminar contributes to solving this issue and helps to increase the potential pool

of experts and prepares policy brief submissions to the Academy’s various publication series. The training was taught by Dr. Emilbek Dzhuraev (contents component) and Dr. Lance Tillman (academic writing component).

On 4-15 June the two-week long International Certif-icate Programme in Conflict Sensitive Development was held at the OSCE Academy. This annual training programme is designed for participants from all Central Asian states and Afghanistan. This year 27 young pro-fessionals from Central Asia, Afghanistan and Mongolia joined the programme.

The International Certificate Training Programme in Conflict Sensitive Development is aimed at strengthening professional capacity of regional experts in analyzing eco-

Participants of the International Certificate Programme in Conflict Sensitive Development

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Professional Trainings

22

nomic risks associated with conflicts, principles of good governance in application to situations of conflict and practical conflict analysis and conflict management. The training uses recent cases, up-to-date theoretical material and highly interactive training methods.

The training’s modules were developed and delivered by two internationally recognized trainers: Dr. Cordula Rei-mann (Consultancy & Training in Conflict Transformation (CORE), Switzerland) and Mr. Augustin Nicolescou (Herbert C. Kelman Institute, Austria).

From 17 till 28 June a ten-day intensive summer school on Investigative and Analytical Journalism took place at the OSCE Academy. Organized by the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) in Central Asia jointly with the OSCE Academy, and supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this school forms part of the project “Giving Voice, Driving Change – From the Borderland to the Steppes”, jointly implemented by IWPR and the OSCE

Participants of the Investigative and Analytical Journalism

Academy within the course of the next three years. The project itself is implemented following the Memorandum of Cooperation and Collaboration between the two insti-tutions signed on 22 February 2018.

During this summer school, 28 young investigative jour-nalists from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uz-bekistan have a chance to listen to experienced journalists and senior experts from Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Moldova, Ta-jikistan, and Ukraine and improve their skills in structuring analytical articles, collecting and processing information for analytical materials, preparing analytical materials for various media, working with information sources, in using numbers in investigation efforts and in the complexities of offshore jurisdictions as well as features of visualization for results of investigations. The theoretical part of the school was followed by a two-day practical session. After the training, the participants will have the opportunity to write analytical articles and journalistic investigations, which will be published on the analytical portal CABAR.

Trainers of the Policy Brief Writing Workshop


23

asia, as well as on the websites and in publications series of partner institutions. The most active participants of the program will be selected for participation in a 5-day study trip to Ukraine and Georgia in 2019 and 2020.

As part of the same project, the OSCE Academy hosted a Policy Brief Writing Workshop from 9 till 15 July. The programme was designed for young researchers from Ka-zakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan in order to improve their skills in developing analytical publications for the media on issues related to post-Soviet problems in Central Asia. Twenty participants had a chance to lis-ten to trainers, practitioners and experts from Western Europe, the CIS, including Central Asia, discussing the specific features and standards of an analytical article for the media, including types of analytical products for media (economic, political, financial, conflict analysis, international analytics, human rights analytics), structure and composition of an analytical article, methodology for writing one, software for data processing and analysis,

visual tools, and strategies for promoting an analytical article. In addition to the theoretical part, this summer school included thematic meetings with political science, public administration, international relations, economics and mass media experts.

Between 9 -14 July the Academy gathered 11 participants to take part in the pilot Masterclass: Interviews as Method in the Social Sciences & Humanities taught by Dr. Barbara Christophe, a senior researcher and Dr. Christoph Kohl, a research fellow at the Georg-Eckert Institute, Leibniz Insti-tute for International Textbook Research in Braunschweig, Germany. This one-week workshop was designed to foster the skillset of post-graduate students of the social scienc-es and the humanities to conduct, analyse and interpret interviews. Introducing into methods in qualitative social research with a special focus on conducting and analysing two types of interviews this Master Class aimed at two approaches to collecting data that promise much benefit to young researchers in Central Asia.

Masterclass’ Trainers Dr. Barbara Christophe and Dr. Christoph KohlParticipants of the Policy Brief Writing Workshop

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Professional Trainings

24

RESEARCH, DIALOGUE & PUBLICATIONSCentral Asia Data-Gathering and Analysis Team (CADGAT) Research Project

In Spring 2018 five researchers from each Central Asian state were selected for CADGAT Research Project. The Team-members had to gather primary and secondary data in their country and develop datasets in the beginning of 2019. The topics for 2018 were:• Hydropower Potential of the Central Asian Countries • Solar Power Potential of the Central Asian Countries

• Wind Power Potential of the Central Asian Countries • Renewable Energy Policies of the Central Asian Countries

Horizon 2020 - Research and Innovation Framework ProgrammeIn order for the OSCE Academy to become a full-fledged academic institution it is crucial to conduct in-house re-search and participate in joint research projects. While the first part is worked on, the second is actively implement-ed. In the first half of 2018 we joined the consortium of 16 institutions, led by the School of Oriental and African studies, University of London in application for Horizon 2020 – Research and Innovation Framework Programme with proposal ‘Leaving something behind’ - Migration governance and agricultural & rural change in ‘home’ communities: comparative experience from Europe, Asia and Africa (AGRUMIG). The proposal was approved in the second half of 2018 with the beginning date - 1 February 2019.

Our partners in Kyrgyzstan within this consortium are: University of Central Asia and think tank Polis Asia.

‘Leaving something behind’ - Migration governance and agri-cultural & rural change in ‘home’ communities: comparative experience from Europe, Asia and Africa (AGRUMIG) is conducted within the Horizon 2020 – Research and Inno-vation Framework Programme and proposes an integrated approach to migration governance to address the two-way relationship between labour mobility and changes in agri-culture and the rural sector. Migration creates challenges for rural ‘sending’ communities in low- and middle-income countries, yet it can also be transformative. AGRUMIG aims to engage in a comparative analysis of seven countries to analyse the economic, institutional, cultural and agro-eco-logical factors, which shape these relationships. It will go on to identify the range of governance interventions, which can harness migration to stimulate sustainable and gender equitable growth in agriculture and reduce the distress associated with migration.

CADGAT was established in 2009 by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and the OSCE Academy. The purpose of CADGAT is to produce fresh cross-regional data on Central Asia. CADGAT produces datasets rather than complete research, and they can be freely used by researchers, journalists, NGOs and government employees inside and outside the Central Asia. Existing CADGAT datasets can be found at osce-academy.net/en/research/cadgat/


http://www.osce-academy.net/en/research/cadgat/

25

Associate Research FellowshipThe OSCE Academy Associate Research Fellowship (ARF) was launched in 2017 and actively implemented throughout 2018. This Fellowship aims to support MA students, PhD Candidates and/or Post-Doctoral researchers in conducting their research projects and provide institutional affiliation to independent researchers. The length of the fellowship is from six to twelve months and is open for Bishkek-based and non-Bishkek residents.

The Academy provides Fellows with access to the library and all available online resources as well as with an opportunity to present their research and to deliver a lecture to students and the public. In turn Fellows contribute to one of the publication series of the OSCE Academy. By the end of 2018 total number of Fellows reached 8 people. ARFs who already published their works within the Academy’s’ publications series are:

Olivier Korthals AltesPublished his research paper “Security Sector Reform in Central Asia: Exploring the Policy - Practice Gap of Police Reforms and the Civil Society Factor in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan” available at: osce-academy.net/upload/file/Research_Paper_5.pdf

Olivier Korthals Altes is an Associate Research Fellow at the OSCE Academy, and an Erasmus Mundus exchange student to Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Almaty. He’s enrolled in the MSc program Conflicts, Territories and Identities at his home institution Radboud University Nijmegen, and has a BA degree in History at the University Utrecht. At the OSCE Academy, Olivier conducted research for his master thesis on the Policy-Practice Gap of European Assistance of Security Sector Reform to Central Asia.

Niva Yau Tsz YanPublished Central Asia Policy brief “Making Sense of the Belt and Road Initiative” available at: osce-academy.net/upload/file/52-Making_Sense_of_the_Belt_and_Road_Initiative.pdf

Niva Yau Tsz Yan is an Associate Research Fellow at the OSCE Academy and a research Intern at the Belt and Road Strategic Research Centre (BRSRC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She has a BSocSc in Politics (International Politics, Political Theory and Ethics) from the University of Hong Kong. Her current research project compares the Central Asian and South East Asian Experience of the Belt and Road Initiative.

YOU CAN FIND ALL ASSOCIATE RESEARCH FELLOWS AT: OSCE-ACADEMY.NET/EN/RESEARCH/ARF/ARFELLOWS/

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Research, Dialogue & Publications

http://osce-academy.net/upload/file/Research_Paper_5.pdf

http://osce-academy.net/upload/file/52-Making_Sense_of_the_Belt_and_Road_Initiative.pdf

26

CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS

Participants of the “New Security Challenges in Central Asia” workshop

A three-day workshop “New Security Challenges in Central Asia” took place at the OSCE Academy from July 31 to August 2. The workshop was organized by the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies and the OSCE Academy within the framework of their long-time partnership and as a part of NESA’s annual Central Asia Working Group meeting.

Within three thematic sessions twelve experts from Cen-tral Asia, China, the United States and representatives of the USA Embassy in Kyrgyzstan discussed the pecu-liarities of “soft power” in Central Asia, regional impact of the recent reforms and changes in Uzbekistan, the role of Western values in Central Asia and the possible implications of “Central Asia without the West”.

Speakers of the Conference on “Non-Traditional Risks and Challenges to Central Asian Security.”

On 17-18 May 2018 the OSCE Academy hosted its Confer-ence on “Non-Traditional Risks and Challenges to Cen-tral Asian Security�” Thirty-five experts and researchers from Central Asia, other OSCE participating States and Afghanistan discussed non-traditional risks and challenges to the region’s security organised in seven panels. The debates revolved around issues related to human, social, environmental, and economic security. In particular, pre-senters concentrated on the question of food security in a changing social environment; on energy security and cooperation; on water security in the region and the impact of climate change on hydro-power usage; on the public and educational efforts on integrating society; and on labour security as well as religious radicalisation.


27

Speakers of the Panel on “Attractions and Puzzles of the Silk Road Theme”

11-13 October the OSCE Academy has hosted its Annual Regional Security/Alumni Conference “Central Asian Security: Factors of Fragility, Sources of Resilience”. More than thirty-five experts and researchers, including alumni of the Academy, from Central Asia, Afghanistan, Europe, USA and India, got to discuss themes like Central Asian Regional Integration, Regional Implications of Peace and Insecurity in Afghanistan, Security Among, Across and By States; The Belt and Road Initiative Between Kabul and Kiev; Energy Cooperation and (In-)Security; Resilience and Fragility Below the State, Religion, Secularism and the State in Central Asia and others.

The Conference was opened by OSCE Academy Director Dr. Alexander Wolters and Ambassador Dr. Pierre von Arx, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, who also

A summary of the Annual Regional Security/Alumni Conference was published within the Academy Paper Series (osce-academy.net/upload/file/Security_Alumni_Conference_Summa-ry_Report.pdf), a new academic outlet the Academy has started in 2018.

delivered a speech on security issues in the region. The welcoming addresses were followed by a Keynote Lecture by Dr. Flemming Hansen on “Security Challenges Across the Domain Spectrum”.

This year the conference format was extended to additional public events in Russian and English languages on the third day. They included a Public Lecture “Afghanistan and Central

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Conferences and Workshops

28

Experts-participants of the “OSCE in Central Asia: National Perceptions” workshop

Asia in a Glance (from Policy to Practice)” by Dr. Moheb Spinghar, Director of the Institute of Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and two simultaneous workshops: one on “Cyber Security: How to Protect Yourself in Cyberspace” co-led by Dr. Anna Gussarova, Director of the Central Asia Institute for Stra-tegic Studies, Kazakhstan and Erlan Bakiev, Head of the Department on Countering Extremism and Illegal Migration, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Kyrgyzstan, and another on “System of Restrictions and Bans on Public Servants: Goals, Types, Comparative Analysis” led by Jaroslav Strelchenok, an International Anti-Corruption Expert, Latvia.

On 3 November the OSCE Academy in Bishkek hosted the “OSCE in Central Asia: National Perceptions” workshop. This workshop is part of a Project “The OSCE in Central

Asia: National Narratives” coordinated by Dr. Irina Chernyh from the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies and run by the OSCE Network of Think Tanks and Academic Institutions. The project examines the role of the OSCE in Central Asian states, focusing on narratives and expec-tations towards the OSCE by various groups. During the workshop the project leader Dr. Chernyh presented a joint report while the gathered researchers presented country reports. The final report will be shared by the end of the year after a further revision.

The event was attended by regional researchers and experts as well as OSCE representatives from the offices in Central Asia, including Mr. Fabio Piana, Deputy Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Dushanbe and Mr. Yuri Fenopetov, Sen-ior Policy Advisor of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek.


29

In 2018 the Academy continued publishing and translating policy briefs with the total of six works published and translated in Russian. Topics touched upon a wide spectrum of region-related themes. While some authors looked at Kyrgyzstan with papers discussing the relations between Kyrgyzstan and the Eurasian Economic Union or its effect on the business community in Kyrgyzstan, development of organic agriculture in the Kyrgyz Republic, others looked at the wider region bringing in lessons from international experience. Topics included local drivers of war in Afghanistan with the focus on Helmand province or the role of Russia in the Central Asian security architecture or the regional integration as an energy security strategy. All our papers can be accessed via the link: osce-academy.net/en/research/policy-briefs/

Launched in 2018, the Academy Yearbook for Policy Analysis includes selected works of researchers from the region and beyond, written over the past few years, and specifically edited and translated into Russian for this new collection. This first volume consists of three sections, combining articles on thematic areas. In the first section, the authors analyze the socio-economic challenges facing the countries of Central Asia on different levels. The second section is devoted to a comprehensive review of the dialogue between the citizen and the state. Articles in the third, final, part of the collection examine the current issues of security and international cooperation.

Central Asian Policy Briefs

Academy Yearbook

Academy Paper Series

In 2018 we started the Academy Paper Series, summarizing conferences, workshops and seminars organized by the Academy with the purpose to reflect on main issues raised and discussed during the events. The reports are published on the Academy’s website in English and Russian languages. In 2018 three reports summarized major events organized by the Academy:

Summary Report of the Annual Regional Security/Alumni Conference “Central Asian Security: Factors of Fragility, Sources of Resilience” held on 11-13 October 2018 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan

Summary Report of the Alumni Conference “Brain Drain or Brain Gain? Education, Migration and Development in Central Asia” held on 5 June 2018 in Vienna, Austria

Summary Report on Alumni Workshop “Workshop on Gender Issues” held on 15-16 February 2018 in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Annual Regional Security/Alumni Conference

Central Asian Security: Factors of Fragility,

Sources of Resilience

Academy Papers #3

October 2018, BishkekConference Rapporteur: Ammar Rezaie

Сводный отчет по воркшопу

«Гендерные вопросы в Центральной Азии»

15-16 февраля 2018, БишкекДокладчик: Лидия Чикалова

Summary Report

Brain Drain or Brain Gain? Education, Migration and

Development in Central Asia

Academy Papers #2

5 June 2018, ViennaRapporteur: Victoria Orazova

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Conferences and Workshops

http://osce-academy.net/en/research/policy-briefs/

30

LIBRARY

The Library serves as the information centre of the OSCE Academy and plays a crucial role in supporting the educational process as well as ongoing research activi-ties at the Academy. The Library contains a specialized collection of books in political sciences and economics and development, with focus on International Relations, Conflict and Security Studies, Economic Governance, Human Rights, Development Studies, Comparative Politics, and Political Theory. Additionally, the library regularly receives publications from the OSCE and other related partner institutions. Additions to the Library’s stock are made in line with the needs provided in the curricula of the Academy’s programmes, and requests made by faculty, students, and permanent and visiting researchers. The Academy’s collection counts more than 4000 books and in 2018 the collection replenished by 200 more.

During the reconstruction works in the Academy’s build-ing we upgraded the Library and installed the beamer and white screen, transforming the Library reading room into a multifunctional room not only for reading and studying, but also for meetings, lectures and student groups work.

YOU CAN ACCESS LIBRARY CATALOGUE AND ONLINE DATABASES AT: OSCE-ACADEMY.NET/EN/LIBRARY/

Our Library is a part of the Kyrgyzstan Library and In-formation Consortium that consists of more than 160 libraries of Kyrgyzstan, including the largest libraries of Kyrgyzstan, including the National Library of the Kyrgyz Republic, State Patent Technical Library, libraries of the largest Higher Educational Institutions of Bishkek. In addition, in 2018 we signed bilateral Agreements of Cooperation and Interlibrary Service with the Libraries of the American University in Central Asia, International University of Central Asia, Talas Regional Library named after A. Toktogulov.


31

OUR ALUMNI

In 2018 the OSCE Academy Alumni Network welcomed 47 new graduates pushing the total number of alumni in the network to 474 (250 females and 224 males). Our alumni make up a regional network of professionals working in government structures, international organizations, NGOs, education and research institutions as well as in the private sector. The annual Alumni Survey revealed that the number of graduates living and working in the Central Asian region and Afghanistan has grown to 72.8%, while 39% of the employed alumni hold senior positions, such as directors/deputy directors, CEOs, heads of departments, managers and officers. A further 31 graduates chose an academic path and are currently pursuing a Ph.D.

Geography

Sectors of Employment 2012 – 2019

Employment

Employment by Sectors

Kazakhstan Kyrgyzstan

TajikistanTurkmenistan

UzbekistanAfghanistan

Out of region

NGO 7%

Public Sector 13%

Private Sector24%

International Organizations 38%

Education and Research Institutions18%

Employed 85.4%

IO Gov E&R NGO Private Sector

2012 out of 118

2013 out of 147

2015 out of 215

2017 out of 273

2019 out of 365

2014 out of 195

2016 out of 244

2018 out of 320

Study 7.7%

8.8% 30%

15.7%2%

6.8%9.5%

27.2%

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Our Alumni

32

ALUMNI OPPORTUNITIES

Since 2010 the Academy runs its Junior Public Officers’ (JPO) Programme to provide the alumni a chance to acquire experience working for the governments of their home countries. In 2018 the Academy prolonged its Agreement with the Institute of Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, during the visit of its Director, Dr. Moheb Spinghar to the Academy in October. The OSCE Academy has agreements with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan and Kazakhstan, and with the Investment Promotion and Protection Agency of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Dr. Moheb Spinghar, Director of the Institute of Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan and Dr. Alexander Wolters, Director of the OSCE Academy


33

Naqibullah Ahmadi 2017, Afghanistan

I am very happy with the decision of joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as an intern through the Junior Pub-lic Officer programme supported by the OSCE Academy. Beside carrying out various administrative and technical tasks I also attended seminars, trainings and political diplomacy classes at the Diplomacy Institute. The insti-tute arranges various classes (Diplomatic and political training courses along with language courses) for their employees in order to build up their capacities.

Junior Public Officers ProgrammeIn 2018 overall five alumni conducted their internships in Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan.

MORE ABOUT THIS PROGRAMME AND LIST OF ALL JPOS CAN BE ACCESSED AT: OSCE-ACADEMY.NET/EN/ALUMNI/OPPORTUNITIES/JPO/

BY THE END OF 2018 IN TOTAL 29 ALUMNI HAVE COMPLETED THE JPO PROGRAMME

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS of the Republic of Kazakhstan

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS of the Kyrgyz Republic

INVESTMENT PROMOTION AND PROTECTION AGENCY of the Kyrgyz Republic

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS of the Republic of Tajikistan

INSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY, MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

79346

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Alumni Opportunities

34

Medina Abylkasymova 2017, Kyrgyzstan

The internship opportunity was a good place for net-working. I have met many successful businessmen and entrepreneurs who can be good connections for my future career.

Romal Sulimankhil 2017, Afghanistan

Because of the JPO programme I was able to gain the nec-essary experience about governmental administration’s roles, structures, and particularly about the diplomatic relations and diplomacy. As I am very interested to work in diplomatic and foreign affairs of the Afghan govern-ment, therefore, the experience and knowledge I have obtained will help me to pass the National exam which is required for entering to work in the ministry of foreign affairs. The JPO programme is path for newly graduated students to obtain required experience and hence their capability and capacity for future work in state agencies or non-governmental organizations.


35

Alina Abylkasymova 2014, Kyrgyzstan

Experience received during the JPO Programme has taught me how to build strong relationships with repre-sentatives of local administrations (akimiat), ministries, international organizations and in the business area. In addition, I learnt the issues domestic entrepreneurs are facing and the role of government in the process of solv-ing those problems. Internship helped me to see how the relationship between private and public bodies are built.

Danat Tumabaev 2017, Kazakhstan

The JPO Programme launched by the OSCE Academy in Bishkek gives an opportunity to experience being a civil servant. During the programme, graduates will understand how government runs projects, communicates with other governmental agencies, and makes future connections. Being a JPO at the MFA taught me invaluable lessons in the communication with top officials. And, despite our failings, we still deserve respect. Never let anyone put you down. Personally, I suggest that prospective graduates apply for the programme.

By taking this opportunity, I would like to express my respect to the OSCE Academy in Bishkek and gratitude for the chance to participate at JPO Programme.


36

NUPI-OSCE Academy Research Mentorship

The Norwegian Institute for International Affairs (NUPI) has supported the Alumni Network since its foundation. Numerous projects and programmes run by NUPI are aimed at increasing the research potential for alumni. In 2018, in addition to the well-established One-Year-Stay at NUPI research fellowship and ‘History writing and nation-building in Central Asia’ project, NUPI, jointly with the OSCE Academy, launched the Research Mentoring programme. Six graduates of the OSCE Academy were selected for the Research Mentoring programme. Mentorees work jointly with mentors at NUPI and will publish one academic article in a peer-reviewed journal in 2019. After publishing their articles, Mentorees will present the results of their work at international academic events. This programme is under the coordination of Dr. Indra Overland, Head of the Energy Programme, and Dr. Roman Vakulchuk, Senior Research Fellow, NUPI.

The selected alumni and their preliminary topics are:

Dilfuza Kurolova 2015, Uzbekistan: “Climate Change in Central Asia: Political, Economic and Social Consequences”

Aiperi Otunchieva 2012, Kyrgyzstan: “Renewable Energy in the Former Soviet Union”

Farkhod Aminjonov 2009, Uzbekistan: “Energy Security, Political and Socio-Economic Dimensions of Hydro-balancing in Central Asia”

Daniyar Moldokanov 2013, Kazakhstan: “Big Powers in Central Asia: Economic Dimension”

Harry Roberts 2016, UK: “Energy in the Caspian Region”


37

One-Year Stay at NUPI Fellowship

In 2018 One-Year Stay at NUPI fellows were Daniyar Kussainov 2014, Kazakhstan and Javlon Juraev 2017, Uzbekistan. This stay is an add-on to the MA degree from the OSCE Academy, and the purpose is to further prepare the two successful applicants for work in international affairs or study at PhD level by deepening their practical and academic experience.

Daniyar Kussainov

“I’m grateful for the opportunity to be a part of NUPI. It helped me to better understand my current situation in terms of professional and academic development. Beside of that, living in Oslo has definitely taught me to cherish the moments we are having and not to take them for granted” – Daniyar Kussainnov.

Javlon Juraev

“My stay in Norway and the fellowship at NUPI was a great chance to experience Europe. This year was very productive in terms of establishing new contacts. And this was a big step in my academic career” – Javlon Juraev.


38

Each year one of the graduates of the OSCE Academy receives a European Scholarship for Central Asia to study at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) and the Global Studies Institute (GSI) of the University of Geneva. In 2017-2018 an exception was made and two alumni were accepted to study security studies:

Nurbek Bekmurzaev, 2014 and Nuraida Abdykapar kyzy, 2013:

“We enjoyed every single day of the eight month spent studying in the MAS/LISC program. Being the youngest participants of the programme, we benefited immensely from this opportunity by expanding our knowledge of security challenges beyond Central Asia and developing professional skills. The learning experience was particularly rich and combined lectures delivered by leading experts and practitioners from all over the world and our fellow classmates, who shared their knowledge and experiences with the class. In addition, we received valuable mentorship on strengthening our leadership skills throughout the programme. We are grateful to the OSCE Academy for this opportunity” – Nurbek and Nuraida.

European Scholarship for Central Asia to study at the GCSP and University of Geneva

Alumni Travel GrantEvery six months the Academy provides Alumni Travel Grant/s for qualified graduates to support their professional and academic development. The grants help the OSCE Academy alumni attend the conferences, trainings worldwide or events for professional certification. In 2018 support was received by 4 alumni:

Assel Mussagaliyeva, Class of 2005, to attend a closed workshop “Sustain and Retain: the Place of Sustainability within the Conservation” by Cambridge University on 21-23 March 2018

Aigerim Almazova, Class of 2017, travel to internship at the World Trade Organization in Geneva from March to October 2018

Karlygash Kabatova, Class of 2014, to participate in

the 21st European Regional International Association for Adolescent Health (IAAH) Conference 2018 and III National Conference in Adolescent Health, “Equal op-portunities for healthy development for all adolescents” 3-5 October, 2018

Arzuu Sheranova, Class of 2015, to attend the interna-tional seminar on publication strategies for PhD students in Tallinn on 4-6 September, organized under the frame-work of the project “Around the Caspian”.


39

From year to year the Academy works to improve its Alumni Network activities and considers its graduates’ feedback. Thus, in 2018, we have successfully tried new formats of thematic events and merged our regular Alumni Conference with the Annual Security Conference, resulting in one larger and diverse event.

On 15-16 February we held a workshop dedicated to “Gender Issues in Central Asia” for our alumni and external guests in Russian language. The two-day work-shop brought approximately forty participants together with the aim of identifying contemporary problems related to gender issues in politics and security, in the economic sphere, and in the social and legal fields in the region. At the end of the conference, alumni and other participants developed recommendations for authori-ties, NGOs, and other stakeholders. The sessions were moderated by: Ms. Dilovar Kabulova and Ms. Farzona Khashimova, Independent Experts from Uzbekistan and Ms. Dinara Aytkulova, Director of the Women’s Demo-cratic Club, Kyrgyzstan.

Eleven alumni from Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan covered topics such as women in poli-tics and security; cooperation between the international organizations and state agencies to provide for women rights and more opportunities; gender norms in adoles-cent education; domestic violence; women influence on

ALUMNI ACTIVITIES

Group work during the Alumni Gender Workshop

economic development; gender problems in agriculture and water recourse management and many others. A further outcome of the workshop was a summarizing account, which a selected participant summarized and commented on the discussion as rapporteur and drew further conclusions for future discussions. This report is published in the Academy Papers Series and available at: osce-academy.net/en/research/sumrep/

In 2018 the Alumni Conference was merged with the Annual Security Seminar. More information about the conference on p. 27

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Alumni Activities

http://osce-academy.net/en/research/sumrep/

40

On 5 June, the European Alumni Chapter held its first meeting organized by the OSCE Academy and the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek. The gathering was held at the OSCE Secretariat in Vienna, Austria. Nine alumni residing in Europe attended the conference on “Brain Drain or Brain Gain? Education, Migration and Development in Central Asia.” A primary aim of the event was to facilitate exchange between OSCE delegations and Academy graduates, and acquaint all participating States and Partners for Co-op-eration with the Academy project.

The conference was opened by Ambassador Dr. Pierre von Arx, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the OSCE Academy and Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, followed by welcoming messages from Luca Fratini, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Italian Chairmanship, and Dr. Indra Overland, Head of the Energy Programme of the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs. Dr. Alexander Wolters, Director of the OSCE Acad-emy, introduced the conference topic and moderated the first panel.

Presentations by the alumni were divided into two sections describing the personal experiences of alumni mobility and its implications on the Central Asian region. The presenters discussed the issue of brain drain and skilled labour migration from Central Asian countries to the West, as well as to Russia and Japan. They explored possibilities to turn brain drain into a brain gain, and identified and discussed the causes that force bright minds and skilled workers to leave their home countries in Central Asia.

On 30 April our alumni in Tajikistan met for the annual Chapter Meeting. This year Dr. Christian Bleuer met 23 graduates in Dushanbe and presented the topic: “Cen-tral Asia’s Role in the International Security System.” After the presentation, the alumni actively discussed the current international role of the region; the possi-bility of integration in light of the latest developments in Uzbekistan and interest of the leading states in that integration. The meeting was followed by informal dinner, during which alumni and the Academy’s staff shared the latest developments at the OSCE Academy, and the graduates of 2016 received their well-deserved State Diplomas.

Conference “Brain Drain or Brain Gain? Education, Migration and Development in Central Asia”

Alumni Chapter Meeting in Dushanbe

Opening of the conference on “Brain Drain or Brain Gain? Education, Migration and Development in Central Asia.”

The presentations and discussions of the event are sum-marized in a publication within the Academy Paper Series: osce-academy.net/en/research/sumrep/


http://osce-academy.net/en/research/sumrep/

42

PARTNERSHIPS AND COOPERATION

In 2018 we built-up a number of new partnerships and cooperation simultaneously strengthening existing ones. The year started with the prolongation of the Agreement with the Institute of Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on internships of our graduates (see p. 32 on JPO). In February, during the visit of the delegation from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs the Memorandum of Cooperation and Collaboration between the Regional Office of the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) in Central Asia, rep-resented by the Director Mr. Abahon Sultonazarov and the OSCE Academy was signed. The Memorandum suggests cooperation in performing joint activities within the project “Giving voice, driving change – from the borderland to the steppes” funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs between January 2018 and December 2020.

In May, the OSCE Academy signed a Memorandum of Partnership and Cooperation with PROVIDUS - Centre for Public Policy located in Latvia. This Memorandum opens new horizons for cooperation in the fields of policy anal-ysis, professional training, data-gathering, dialogue and networking projects, as well as public lectures in various fields. Among the topics this partnership is set to focus are good governance, migration policy, public administration, civil society, media and democracy.

Throughout 2018 the Academy concluded a number of partnership agreements within the framework of the Eras-mus+ project, allowing to expand our network and open up opportunities for the student and faculty mobilities, or-ganization of joint research projects and academic events. These include the Riga Graduate School of Law, Philipps University of Marburg in Germany, the Scuola Superiore

Left to right: H.E. Ole Johan Bjørnøy,Norwegian Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan, Dr. Alexander Wolters, Director of the OSCE Academy, Mr, Abahon Sultonazarov, Director of IWPR

Sant’Anna in Pisa, Italy, Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies at the University of Tartu in Estonia. Moreover, in partnership with the National University of Political Studies and Public Administration in Romania we submitted the proposal for Student Mobility (one from each side) and it was successfully approved and to be implemented in 2019.

Together with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs we applied for funding from DAAD to con-duct a summer school via the programme “Sommerschulen im Ausland 2019”. The application was successful and will be implemented in summer/fall 2019.

Furthermore, the Academy resumed its relations with the Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution in Stadtschlaining, Austria, and, for the first time, sent a student for internship to the European Centre for Migration Issues in Flensburg, Germany in autumn 2018.


43

NOTABLE VISITORS AND PUBLIC TALKSThese and other meetings with high-level officials expose our students to the national and international political context in which they will work after graduation, give them an opportunity to ask their customarily critical and pertinent questions, and increase the visibility of the OSCE Academy and its Masters Programme.

Mr� Scott Smith, Political Affairs Department Director and Mr� Maciej Dachowski, Political Officer for Regional Affairs of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) visited the Academy two times: in February and November 2018 to deliver a lecture on the latest developments in Afghanistan to MA students of 2017-2018 and 2018-2019.

Mr� Olivier Korthals, OSCE Academy Associate Research Fellow, delivered a public lecture on his MSc thesis topic “Security Sector Reform of European Actors towards Central Asia” on 22 February 2018.

H�E� Robin Ord-Smith, British Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan visited the Academy on 02 March and delivered a guest lecture, on the topic of “Britain after Brexit” to the MA students.

Mr� Erlan Bakiev, Head of the Department of the Service for Counter Extremism and Illegal Migration of the Ministry of Interior of the Kyrgyz Republic visited the Academy on 30 March 2018 to deliver a lecture about extremism and radicalism and its various forms to MA students.

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Notable Visitors and Public Talks

44

Mr� Emil Umetaliev, President of “Kyrgyz Concept” Company, shared his personal professional development on 5 April with MA students of the Economic Governance and Development Programme within the framework of the Economic Governance and Regulations course, taught by Dr. David Grant.

Mr� Tolkunbek Abdygulov, Chairman of the Board of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic and former Prime Minister of the Kyrgyz Republic delivered a lecture on “Role and Functions of the National Bank of the Kyrgyz Republic including Regu-lation” on 7 April to students of the MA Programme in Economic Governance and Development within the framework of the Economic Governance and Regulations course, taught by Dr. David Grant.

Ambassador Lamberto Zannier, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities (HCNM) visited the Academy on 11 April 2018 to deliver a lecture about the functions of the HCNM and its approaches to work with minority issues to MA students.

Delegation of representatives from OSCE institutions, including Ambassador Marcel Pesko, Director of the Conflict Prevention Centre, the heads of OSCE Field Missions in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as representatives of the OSCE Troika, visited the Academy on 18 April, within the framework of their participation in the Regional Heads of Field Missions Meeting in Bishkek. Ambassador Pesko gave a lecture on the OSCE’s position in today’s international system and in Central Asia in particular to MA students.


45

H�E� George Tsereteli, President of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, accompanied by Dr� Loïc Simonet, Senior External Co-operation Officer of the OSCE Liaison to Brussels-based Institutions and Ms� Farimah Daftary, Programme Officer of the OSCE PA, paid a visit to the OSCE Academy on 20 April 2018, to meet students and deliver a lecture on activities and structure of the OSCE PA and parliamentary diplomacy in the area of conflict prevention and peace-building as well as the Central Asian dimension within the PA.

Ms� Annika Pelkonen, Special Adviser of the Permanent Delegation of Finland to the OSCE, visited the OSCE Academy on 11 May 2018 for a short exchange with the MA students within the framework of the Energy Politics module, taught by Dr. Indra Overland from the Norwegian Institute of International Relations (NUPI).

Dr� Flemming Splidsboel Hansen, a Senior Researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies delivered a public lecture titled “The weaponisation of information and cognitive resilience” to MA students and alumni on 16 May 2018 and presented as a Keynote Speaker at the Annual Security/Alumni Conference “Central Asian Security: Factors of Fragility, Sources of Resilience”, which was hosted by the OSCE Academy on 11-13 October 2018.

Ambassador Thomas Greminger, OSCE Secretary General, accompanied by the Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, Ambassador Pierre von Arx, and by Ms� Kristin Höltge from the OSCE Conflict Prevention Centre visited the OSCE Academy on 23 May 2018 as part of his official visit to Kyrgyzstan and had a meeting with the Academy’s management, followed by a lecture to students of both MA Programmes.


46

Swedish Delegation headed by Ambassador Christian Kamille, accompanied by colleagues from the Swedish Defense Research Agency (FOI), namely Mr� Jakob Hedenskog, Deputy Research Director at FOI, Dr� Johan Engvall, Analyst at FOI and a Nonresident Senior Fellow of the Central Asia-Caucasus Institute & Silk Road Studies Program, Erika Holmquist, Researcher at FOI, and Ms� Matilda Sandén, Desk Officer for the Kyrgyz Republic/Central Asia at the Swedish MFA visited the Academy on 25 May 2018 and had an introductory meeting with the Academy’s management.

H�E� Michaël Roux, Ambassador of France to the Kyrgyz Republic, visited the Acad-emy on 15 June and discussed with students of the MA Programme in Politics and Security diplomatic relations between Kyrgyzstan and France.

Ambassador Khojesta Fana Ebrahimkhel, Head of the Embassy and Permanent Mission of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International and Regional Organizations in Vienna visited the Academy on 13 July 2018 and had an introductory meeting with the Academy’s Management, followed by an informal talk with students from Afghanistan.

Delegation from Switzerland including Mr� Claudio Tognola, Head of Eurasia Division, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Mr� Richard Chenevard, Program Manager for Central Asia, SDC, Mrs� Tessa Nerini, Deputy Regional Coordinator for Eastern Europe/Central Asia/OSCE of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, and Swiss Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Veronique Hulmann, accompanied by Ambassador Dr� Pierre von Arx, head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, visited the Academy on 26 September 2018 and met MA students to discuss issues related to the activities of Switzerland in the region, followed by the meeting with the Academy’s management and presentation about the Academy activities by the director, Dr. Alexander Wolters.


47

Delegation from the Bundestag headed by MP Doris Barnett, Treasurer of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Head of the German Delegation to the OSCE PA and also a member of the Council of Europe and MP Michael Georg Link, Vice-Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Committee on Democracy and Human Rights, former head of ODIHR, and accompanied by Prof� Dr� Joachim Rickes, Head of International Relations at the German Bundestag and German Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Ms� Monika Iversen visited the Academy on 5 October 2018 to have a short meeting with students from both MA Programmes and discuss the Academy’s current developments and ambitious plans for the future with its management.

Dr� Marcin Walecki, Head of the ODIHR’s Democratization Department, and Mr� Jacopo Leone, Democratic Governance Officer, visited the Academy on 5 October 2018 in order to discuss with Academy Director Dr. Alexander Wolters new oppor-tunities for cooperation and the possible establishment on internship opportunities for students at ODIHR, trainings for faculty and staff members in Warsaw as well as joint research projects.

Dr� Moheb Spinghar, Director of the Institute of Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, visited the Academy on 13 October 2018 to sign the Agreement between the OSCE Academy and the Institute of Diplomacy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, allowing our alumni to intern at the Institute of Diplomacy. Dr. Spinghar was also invited to deliver a public lecture on “Afghanistan and Central Asia at a Glance: from Policy to Practice” within the framework of the Annual Regional Security/Alumni Conference “Central Asian Security: Factors of Fragility, Sources of Resilience” and also to meet Academy students and alumni from Afghanistan.


48

Dr� Anna Gussarova, Director of the Central Asia Institute for Strategic Studies, Kazakhstan and Erlan Bakiev, Head of the Department on Countering Extremism and Illegal Migration, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Kyrgyzstan, delivered a Public Lecture on “Cyber Security: How to Protect Yourself in Cyberspace” within the framework of the Annual Security/Alumni Conference “Central Asian Security: Factors of Fragility, Sources of Resilience”, which was hosted by the OSCE Academy on 11-13 October 2018.

Mr� Jaroslavs Strelchenoks, an International Anti-Corruption Expert from Latvia, delivered a Public Lecture on “System of Restrictions and Bans on Public Serv-ants: Goals, Types, Comparative Analysis” within the framework of the Annual Security/Alumni Conference “Central Asian Security: Factors of Fragility, Sources of Resilience”, which was hosted by the OSCE Academy on 11-13 October 2018.

H�E� Ha Tae-youk, Ambassador of South Korea to Kyrgyzstan had an introductory meeting with the Academy’s management on 30 October 2018.

Ms� Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, Director of ODIHR, accompanied by Ambassa-dor Greta Gunnarsdóottir, Senior Political Adviser/Head of the Director’s Office, Ambassador Dr� Pierre von Arx, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek and Dr� Marcin Walecki, Head of ODIHR’s Democratization Department visited the Academy on 28 November 2018 and presented the main activities of ODIHR, its mandate and challenges that it faces to MA students, followed by a meeting with the management of the Academy.


49

Mr� David Michael Gould, Lead Economist of the World Bank Europe and Central Asian Region delivered a lecture on “Critical Connections: Promoting Economic Growth and Resilience in Europe and Central Asia” to Academy students of the Economic Governance and Development Programme on 29 November 2018 and presented the report “Critical Connectivity”, co-authored by him and his colleagues from the World Bank.

Ambassador Peter Burian, EU Special Representative for Central Asia, accompanied by Ambassador Eduard Auer, Head of the EU Delegation to Kyrgyzstan, Ambassador Dr� Pierre von Arx, Head of the OSCE Programme Office in Bishkek, and Mr� Raimonds Vingris, Head of the Political, Press and Information Section, visited the OSCE Academy on 30 November 2018 and delivered a speech on the new EU strategy for Central Asia to MA students.

Prior to this visit Ambassador Eduard Auer and Mr� Raimonds Vingris visited the OSCE Academy on 2 November 2018, to meet the Academy’s Management and discuss future cooperation between the EU and the OSCE Academy.

Lieutenant Colonel Donald Kyle Perry, US Defense Attaché and Senior Defense Of-ficial to the Kyrgyz Republic, delivered a lecture on US foreign policy and diplomatic relations with South and Central Asia on 3 December 2018 to MA students at the US Embassy in Bishkek. Prior to student’s visit to the US Embassy, on 13 September 2018, Lieutenant Colonel Perry and Army Attaché LTC Jason A. Henderson visited the Academy to get acquainted with its projects and activities.


50

SOCIAL LIFE

Our MA Programmes are known as very intensive. Howev-er, despite the fact that students have to study 24/7 they find time for social events. Annually, the OSCE Academy celebrates Nooruz, the famous regional holiday marking the beginning of Spring and the Persian New Year. Fol-lowing a well-established tradition, the celebration was joined by students from the Academy’s partner institu-tion, the University of St. Andrews, Scotland, with their Professors Dr. Frederick Fawn and Dr. Matteo Fumagalli. The Academy’s students performed traditional songs, dances, games of Central Asian countries and Afghan-istan, followed by the delegation from the University of St. Andrews showing a traditional Scottish dance. The concert concluded with the presentation of variations of traditional local cuisine and dances.


51

The visit of the student delegation from the University of St. Andrews is also used as an opportunity for joint simulation games and visits to historic sightseeing places around Bishkek, like Burana Tower – a large minaret in the Chuy Valley in northern Kyrgyzstan.

For the first time we established a sport team of OSCE Academy “Runners,” initiated by students who actively participate in marathons. A team of ten students partic-ipated in several marathons in Bishkek and Almaty. We believe that supporting extracurricular student activities is important and positively impacts their studies.

OSCE Academy Annual Report 2018Social Life

OSCE Academy Annual Report | 2019

Contact us:

Postal address: 1A Botanicheskiy pereulokBishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, 720044Working hours: Monday – Friday, 9 am – 6 pm

T.: +996 (312) 54-32-00, + 996 (312) 54-12-00F: +996 (312) [email protected]

The report is also available on the OSCE Academy’s website at: www.osce-academy.net/en/about/annual-programs/

Documents

OSCE Academy MA Students with the OSCE Secretary General ...osce-academy.net/upload/file/OSCE_Academy_Annual_Report_2018.pdf · report, provided an ever more solid foundation for